I'm trying to pursue a career at university to become a teacher of medieval history (i'm a soon-to-be-second year student) after being inspired in about the 3rd grade, and as such I've been trying to asorb the knowlege from all the fine users of this site (and other places of course), but alas I'm a tad overwhelmed by all the different infomation even though I'm a collector (well, not yet, but hopefully with your help soon).
I currently dabble in the S.C.A. (though it's fun to be a weekend warrior, I'm aware it's maybe not the best place to learn the SERIOUS ropes... if that makes any sense) and am trying to get into 'The Stoccata School of Defence' ( http://www.stoccata.org/ ), so my question to you, oh knowledgeable superiors, is thus: Where and what would you recommend starting collection-wise? For example, I've got a few things from a store called Medieval-Fightclub, and at the risk of offending them, I'm dubious about some of their items.
BUT! Here's the kicker, I live in Tasmania! And as such we have very little in the way of 'professional' re-enacting (obviously we have a S.C.A. group, everyone has ) let alone anywhere where one could purchase (with the exception of a man called Ken Bradford of Bismarck Metal Craft).
So yeah, sorry if this is all a bit jumbled, but as one could imagine I'm kind of friggin' confused about my future career that I might try to implement down here haha.

P.S. Any educational re-enactors out there want to hire an enthusiastic Taswegian peasant haha.Member of Australia's Stoccata School of Defence since 2008.
Host of Crash Course HEMA.
Founder of The Van Dieman's Land Stage Gladiators.

Last edited by Sam Gordon Campbell on Wed 19 Nov, 2008 11:59 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi Sam. I believe the best place to start any collection is with a collection of Books - learn the subject before spending big money on the items themselves. You'll have a better basis of comparison and a more developed sense of what it is you really want.

Regarding arms and armour themselves, however, you might have noticed our Reviews of a number of different swordsmiths' and manufacturers' products, and we have a page of Links to some others besides. The trick will be checking the international shipping policies of any smith, company, or retailer that you are interested in.

Regards,
-GLL"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science." - Albert Einstein________

Sam,
Good luck on the future career. I am wondering where you intend to teach, and what kind of interest and demand there will be for that type of study there? If I remember correctly, Rod Walker is Australian, and is a world ranked jouster. He is a forum member you could send a private message to. He might offer some feedback and be a good a barometer for regional interests related to medieval study/ enactment.Absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence!

I'm trying to pursue a career at university to become a teacher of medieval history ....

You did say a University.... That means you need to get into a PHD program. This is more then a matter of just having good grades and working hard. You need to form some relationships with some established professors in that field. There is a lot of internal politics involved here. Essentially they need to accept you as someone that they would want to have on their team. If a professor likes you and decides to be your mentor he will walk you through the gauntlet. It very hard to get through on your own. There are a lot of hotly debated topics in Medieval History at the PHD level such as Feudalism. You will want to be sure that your opinion is the right one based on where you are trying to get in.

Oh and forget about reading other peoples translations and publications. Part of the 8 years you will be spending pursuing this PHD will be to learn dead languages so you can read the original source texts.No athlete/youth can fight tenaciously who has never received any blows: he must see his blood flow and hear his teeth crack... then he will be ready for battle.
Roger of Hoveden, 1174-1201
www.poconoshooting.comwww.poconogym.com

Last edited by Bill Tsafa on Sun 16 Nov, 2008 8:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

... I am wondering where you intend to teach, and what kind of interest and demand there will be for that type of study there? If I remember correctly, Rod Walker is Australian, and is a world ranked jouster. He is a forum member you could send a private message to. He might offer some feedback and be a good a barometer for regional interests related to medieval study/ enactment.

Hi Jared,

Well in regards to where I'd like to teach, preferably within Australia, and with regards to that, pretty much anywhere where a school or function needs some edutainment (such a cool word). In the long run (like, 3 decades from now) I'd like to be able to extend a group so that it could function down in Tassie without the need for mainlander assistance. And hey, if I have to go to New Zealand, then I'd guess I gotta go.
Also, cheers for that, I might just send Mr. Walker a message.

Take Gabriel's advice about books. Don't worry about arms and armour yet because, for you, mistakes will be more costly than for those of us with relatively easy access to manufacturers. Read, read, read. There's some great free stuff out there (tons of it right here in front of you at this site).

Follow their lead by building your soft kit first--clothes, shoes, etc. With some guidance and experimentation you can make this stuff yourself. There are plenty of folks around here to help you. You can modify a carbon steel kitchen knife and make a sheath for it. Presto--medieval civilian costume for very little cash. You'll be the founding member of your new group and show that you're serious.

Teaching H.S. history is a totally different animal vs university. All you need is a teaching license in NY. Unless you are tenured, you often don't get to teach what you want. Sometimes its not related at all to your area of interest. Its just a job. It does however put you in a unique position to draw in people to your area of interest. Even if you get stuck teaching English, you can find ways to slip in some history hear and there. If you talk about weapons and warfare the students will think you are the coolest teacher. Many schools have rules against bringing swords in for show and tell (even if you are the teacher), but you can always bring armor and shields in and let kids feel history. That will at least get the boys interested.No athlete/youth can fight tenaciously who has never received any blows: he must see his blood flow and hear his teeth crack... then he will be ready for battle.
Roger of Hoveden, 1174-1201
www.poconoshooting.comwww.poconogym.com

I have yet to contact them (and shall endevor to do so at the nearest possible point in time), but does anyone else have any similar links to similar groups based in Australia, as I'm struggling to find them of my own accord.

And thanks Sean, followed your advice and am now on my way to attempting my first 'soft kit'.Member of Australia's Stoccata School of Defence since 2008.
Host of Crash Course HEMA.
Founder of The Van Dieman's Land Stage Gladiators.

Oh and forget about reading other peoples translations and publications. Part of the 8 years you will be spending pursuing this PHD will be to learn dead languages so you can read the original source texts.

Even if you can the ability to read the texts in their original language, I don't think other people's analysis and translations of the sources shouldn't be so easily dismissed. This is especially important because the literal meaning of the words isn't the only thing worth considering when you're reading a primary source; you also have to be aware of the context, and often the best way to learn this context is precisely to read those earlier translations and analyses by previous scholars (and check the references they give in their footnotes until your eyes bleed. I love footnotes and have bled my eyes upon them more than once--almost literally).

And even if some of those earlier translations are wrong, mistaken, incomplete, or whatever...how are you going to prove them wrong if you haven't even read them?

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